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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26787667">we fell in love in october</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/postalcoast/pseuds/postalcoast'>postalcoast</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Flufftober 2020, M/M, basically john &amp; arthur's relationship from sean's pov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:00:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,730</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26787667</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/postalcoast/pseuds/postalcoast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes Sean a while to notice.</p>
<p>He likes to think it’s because of his own obliviousness to signs such as this and not that it’s been right in his face, right under his nose the entire time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Marston/Arthur Morgan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>we fell in love in october</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>me just cramming the modern morston fluff hcs into one fic bc y not</p>
<p>this is part of the Flufftober 2020 thing that <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryu_No_Joou">Ryu</a> is doing! <a href="https://ryu-no-joou.tumblr.com/image/628990490721845248">Check it out!</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It takes Sean a while to notice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He likes to think it’s because of his own obliviousness to signs such as this and not that it’s been right in his face, right under his nose the entire time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And when Sean first picks up on it, he’s gotta admit - he’s a little hurt that John didn’t even tell him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sean is his </span>
  <em>
    <span>best friend </span>
  </em>
  <span>after all, and has been for years. Way before Arthur ever came into the picture. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sean’s always told John when he’s started dating someone new. And up until now, John always told Sean who he’d been dating. They told each other practically everything. That’s how it worked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And yeah, maybe it’s none of Sean’s business, okay it really </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> any of Sean’s business, especially if this is something John didn’t want to tell him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But, why wouldn’t he?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hell, Arthur’s a great guy, and he’s happy for the both of them. So, why didn’t John tell him?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And well, Sean could use the whole “best friend” tactic that comes like a knee-jerk reaction as to why John should’ve told him, but according to the first thing he’d picked up on, he can’t even use that anymore.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The first thing Sean notices is the matching keychains and the best friend bracelets. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The keychains are matching pictures of Arthur and John on their vacation in Tahiti, and Arthur’s is the first that Sean’s notices. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Leaned up against the gap in the two front seats of Arthur’s truck, not wearing his seatbelt like Arthur told him to, Sean sees it along with the rest of Arthur’s keys dangling out of the ignition.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he asks about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Something along the lines of “who you got with you in that picture there, Arthur?” and Arthur glances down at it, glances back at Sean, and tells Sean it’s of him and John in Tahiti. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, John’s jerking out his own pair of keys along with the same picture in keychain form attached to his lanyard that he carries around and tells Sean they got matching ones. Matching keychains. Of them in Tahiti. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sean doesn’t really think anything of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lenny says it’s cute when he mentions it to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, the matching friendship bracelets, which John wears almost religiously and Arthur wears except when he’s at work, then it’s hanging on the rearview mirror in his truck. With little matching moon and sun charms that change color according to their mood. Little moon and sun moodring friendship bracelets.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sean asks John where his friendship bracelet is and John reminds him that Sean’s lost every one John’s given him. Fair point.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lenny says that it’s nothing, says it’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>them,</span>
  </em>
  <span> considering they take pictures together all the time. They’re just close.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>John’s allowed to have more than one best friend, and Sean </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows </span>
  </em>
  <span>this and he’s not saying that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So, Sean doesn’t really think anything about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it still hurts a little because John is </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>best friend. But he’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>John’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>best friend. It’s Arthur. It says so right on their little bracelets. BFFs. Best Friends Forever.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But, Lenny’s right. They do take pictures together all the time. Selfies. They take selfies together - all the time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Arthur’s not even the “taking pictures” kind of guy. He always volunteers to take the group picture when everyone’s over at Dutch’s for whatever holiday it is, or holds up a hand in front of his face when someone’s got a camera out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But if you go onto John’s facebook profile, his profile picture is of him, Arthur, and their two dogs. Every other post is a selfie of him and Arthur. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His instagram profile picture is of himself, but Arthur’s in the background, so Sean isn’t necessarily sure if that counts. But Arthur’s all over John’s instagram in other pictures. John’s twitter profile picture is of Arthur smoking next to a “NO SMOKING” sign that Arthur didn’t even realize was there until it was too late.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His twitter profile picture is of Arthur breaking a no smoking law. Accidentally, but still, John thought it was hilarious at the time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Selfies at the coffee shop. Selfies on the couch while they’re watching TV together and Arthur’s got his “watching TV glasses” on because he’s near-sighted as shit but doesn’t want to admit it. Selfies in the car while Arthur’s wearing his “watching TV and driving glasses” due to the same reason. Selfies at the movie theatre. Selfies at the park. Selfies with the dogs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And speaking of movies, there’s also that thing that used to be Sean and John’s thing solely but it’s become a little harder to do since they don’t room together anymore - the October Scary Movie Marathon.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>John and Sean’s October Scary Movie Marathon that has now become John and Arthur’s October Scary Movie Marathon. And Arthur doesn’t even really like scary movies.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t like jumpscares, he doesn’t like blood and gore, but he’s just totally taken over O-S-Double M. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Arthur even </span>
  <em>
    <span>calls </span>
  </em>
  <span>it O-S-Double M now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>See, the thing is they watch at least one scary movie everyday for the month of October, and yeah, it’s usually just the same ones each year: Halloween, Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Which, Sean just has October Scary Movie Marathon with Lenny now, but still. It was originally John and Sean’s. And now, it isn’t. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever, okay. It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not until about a couple of months after the keychains, after the friendship bracelets, after the selfies, and after the movie marathons that Sean starts to pick up on it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he isn’t sure what it is that makes it all click into place. Maybe it’s the clothes sharing. Maybe it’s the newfound </span>
  <em>
    <span>touchyness </span>
  </em>
  <span>between them where Arthur will casually tuck in the tag of John’s shirt when it’s hanging out or John will just stick in his hands in the pockets of Arthur’s jacket when he forgets to wear gloves and it’s cold out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe it was the time that Sean let himself into their apartment like he always does and saw John sitting on the floor in front of the couch, right in between Arthur’s knees and Arthur was braiding his hair. They were just watching TV like that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sean didn’t even know Arthur could braid hair, but he worked with horses, and those horses had braided manes so - yeah. Sean had Arthur braid his hair after that but John’s was better.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>John said he wanted to look like Jared Leto at the 2015 Golden Globes. Sean wanted to look like Chris Hemsworth with his little Thor braids.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And it makes </span>
  <em>
    <span>sense</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They</span>
  </em>
  <span> make sense. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And when Sean thinks about it, there’s probably no two other people in this world more perfect for each other.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They’re totally dating.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lenny thinks so, too, but he tells Sean to leave it. They’ll tell everyone when they want to. It’s no big deal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But he can’t just leave it. This is a big deal. Two of the people he loves, two of his good friends - okay </span>
  <em>
    <span>best </span>
  </em>
  <span>friends, love each other back and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>a big deal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sean will go to grab a beer out of their fridge when he’s over and see where John has left Arthur a note in the colorful alphabet magnets, and he’ll always put a sideways v and a 3 after his message. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Or, if it’s something they can’t communicate through magnets with, they’ll leave post-its on the fridge. John will actually draw out the heart sometimes, or draw a smiley face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And the thing about it is: Arthur actually keeps these little post-it notes that John leaves behind on the fridge.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keeps them all neat and folded up in his wallet. Sean’s seen them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Seen them scattered around the floor of a convenience store when Arthur accidentally dropped them when he was at the register. Sean had no idea what they were at the time but helped Arthur as he scrambled to pick them up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s all these? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Love notes</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Arthur answered him a bit too quickly. “Just </span>
  <em>
    <span>notes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your memory that bad, old man? You need to keep dozens of little post-it notes in your wallet?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sean had got it the first time. Little folded up yellow slips of paper littered with John’s handwriting, the little lines he makes under his words, and scribbled on hearts and smiley faces.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Love notes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Need more boo berry</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> :)</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Take out the trash!! I did it last time!!</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> &lt;3</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Went to the store for smokes</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> &lt;3</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And the thing is, John does the exact same thing, more or less. He keeps Arthur’s drawings. Or drawing scraps, rather. Napkins or ripped off pieces of notebook paper. Little haphazard doodles that Arthur’s just drawn out of pure boredom when they’re waiting on their food at a restaurant or when he gets a new set of pens or pencils that he wants to try out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>John says they’re good, they’re far too good for Arthur just to wad up and throw away in the trash, so he keeps them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And they’re both so damn nonchalant about it. Like it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Like the compliments or completely obvious pick-lines they’ll toss at each other. Sean’s been around to witness many of those.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sincere little words of admiration that mean nothing yet everything. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But they’re not dating and they’re not together, because it’s not even something they acknowledge themselves until months after the fact.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>John tells Sean when he’s over one day, Arthur’s at work and John’s got the day off, so Sean comes over to play videogames with him and John tells him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He tells Sean while the two of them are sitting on his and Arthur’s couch that they bought together, feet propped up on the coffee table they bought together. He tells Sean while he’s wearing one of Arthur’s shirts and one of Arthur’s beat-up worn caps that he got free at the place they got their insurance at. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’s wearing it backwards, though. John wears all his caps like that. All of Arthur’s caps. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So uh,” John clears his throat, hesitating. Sean glances away from the TV to look at him. “Arthur and I - uh, - we </span>
  <em>
    <span>kissed</span>
  </em>
  <span> last night.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hushed, even. Like Arthur’s standing right over them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?” Sean says. He’s not surprised. But he’s a bit surprised that John sounds surprised. “About fuckin’ time.”</span>
</p>
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